1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrical connecting device and, more particularly, to a connector used for high speed transmission lines. The present invention further relates to a connector assembly including such a connector. The present invention is effectively used for connecting balanced transmission lines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of connector systems used for connecting high speed transmission lines are well known in the art. One example of conventional connector systems for high speed transmission includes jack and plug connectors, each of which includes a plurality of signal contacts arranged in several rows in an electro-insulating body. In this type of conventional connector system or assembly, the signal lines structured by the mutually engaged contacts of the mutually assembled jack and plug connectors are partially shielded through the ground potential lines located between the rows of the signal contacts. To this end, each of the jack and plug connectors further includes a row of plural ground contacts arranged between the rows of signal contacts, which act as a shielding to reduce a crosstalk between the rows of signal contacts.
The above conventional connector assembly is effectively used for a single-ended transmission. However, this connector assembly cannot reduce a crosstalk between the signal lines arranged side by side in each row of contacts. Therefore, it is difficult to use this connector assembly for significantly high speed transmission, such as 1 gigabit/sec or more. Also, this structure of connector assembly makes it difficult to reduce a dimension of the insulator body and to increase the density of the signal lines.
Recently, a balanced data transmission system using balanced signals, that is, a differential data transmission system, has been developed for a high speed transmission, and it has been desired to provide a new connector system which can be effectively used for such a balanced data transmission.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector which can be used for significantly high speed transmission.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector which can be effectively used for a balanced data transmission system.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a connector assembly including such a connector.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a connector, comprising: plural pairs of signal contact elements, the pairs being arranged parallel with each other in an array, and the signal contact elements of each of the pairs being arranged opposite to each other; plural ground contact elements, each of which is used as a shield to reduce a crosstalk between two parallel pairs of signal contact elements arranged side by side, the plural pairs of signal contact elements and the plural ground contact elements being alternately arranged in a row; and an electro-insulating body for supporting the signal contact elements and the ground contact elements in a mutually insulated arrangement.
In the preferred aspect of the present invention, the each pair of signal contact elements is used for a balanced transmission line.
It is advantageous that the profile of a portion of each of the ground contact elements substantially corresponds to a profile of the each pair of signal contact elements.
It is preferred that at least one of the ground contact elements is disposed at at least one of opposed outermost positions in the row.
It is also advantageous that the connector further comprises at least one shield plate disposed outside of the row to reduce crosstalk between the pairs of signal contact elements and the exterior of the connector.
Each pair of signal contact elements may define a jack-type contact pair, and each of the ground contact elements may define a jack contact.
Alternatively, the each pair of signal contact elements may define a plug-type contact pair, and each of the ground contact elements may define a plug contact.
It is also preferred that each of the signal contact elements includes a first contact end adapted to be slidably connected with a counterpart contact of another connector and a second contact end adapted to be fixedly connected with a signal line provided on a circuit board.
In this arrangement, the second contact end may extend parallel to the first contact end.
Alternatively, the second contact end may extend orthogonaly to the first contact end.
Each of the ground contact elements may include a first contact end adapted to be slidably connected with a counterpart contact of another connector and a second contact end adapted to be fixedly connected with a ground provided on a circuit board.
In this arrangement, the second contact end of the each ground contact element may extend parallel to the first contact end of the each ground contact element.
Alternatively, the second contact end of the each ground contact element may extend orthogonaly to the first contact end of the each ground contact element.
In this arrangement, the connector may further include a locator for holding second contact ends of the signal contact elements and of the ground contact elements at mutually spaced positions.
It is also preferred that each of the signal contact elements includes a first contact end adapted to be slidably connected with a counterpart contact of another connector and a second contact end adapted to be fixedly connected with a signal line provided in a cable.
In this arrangement, each of the ground contact elements may include a first contact end adapted to be slidably connected with a counterpart contact of another connector and a second contact end adapted to be fixedly connected with a ground provided in a cable.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector assembly, comprising: a jack connector including: plural jack-type pairs of signal contact elements, the jack-type pairs being arranged parallel with each other in an array, and the signal contact elements of each of the jack-type pairs being arranged opposite to each other; plural jack-type ground contact elements, each of which is used as a shield to reduce crosstalk between two parallel jack-type pairs of signal contact elements arranged side by side, the plural jack-type pairs of signal contact elements and the plural jack-type ground contact elements being alternately arranged in a row; and a jack-type electro-insulating body for supporting the jack-type pairs of signal contact elements and the jack-type ground contact elements in a mutually insulated arrangement; a plug connector including: plural plug-type pairs of signal contact elements,. the plug-type pairs being arranged parallel with each other in an array, and the signal contact elements of each of the plug-type pairs being arranged opposite to each other; plural plug-type ground contact elements, each of which is used as a shield to reduce crosstalk between two parallel plug-type pairs of signal contact elements arranged side by side, the plural plug-type pairs of signal contact elements and the plural plug-type ground contact elements being alternately arranged in a row; and a plug-type electro-insulating body for supporting the plug-type pairs of signal contact elements and the plug-type ground contact elements in a mutually insulated arrangement; and wherein each of the jack-type pairs of signal contact elements of the jack connector includes a contact end used to be slidably engaged with another contact end of each of the plug-type pairs of signal contact elements of the plug connector; and wherein each of the jack-type ground contact elements of the jack connector includes a contact end used to be slidably engaged with another contact end of each of the plug-type ground contact elements of the plug connector.
It is advantageous that the each jack-type pair of signal contact elements and each plug-type pair of signal contact elements are used for a balanced transmission line.